RHS volleyball opens season with winsThe Russellville Lady Cyclones volleyball team came out on top of a tri-match against the Paris Lady Eagles and the Morrilton Lady Devil Dogs on Tuesday inside Cyclone Gymnasium. Russellville (2-0) defeated Paris 25-15, 25-12 and Morrilton 25-17, 25-9. The Lady Eagles took a 4-1 lead early in the first match, but the Lady Cyclones zeroed in to win the game. “Paris always has a good team,” Russellville head coach Cindy Jones said. “And they did...

RJHS volleyball opens season with sweepThe Russellville Junior High School (RJHS) Lady Whirlwinds volleyball team opened its season with a sweep of the North Little Rock Junior Lady Wildcats on Monday at Whirlwind Gymnasium. The eighth grade team won 25-16, 25-18. Hannah Vines scored five points, while Megan Fleming scored two points and two aces. Gracie Palmer scored six points and two aces. The ninth grade team won 25-18, 25-21. Kasey Heath had seven points, a block and three ace...

RHS tennis falls against Van BurenThe Russellville Cyclones and Lady Cyclones tennis teams fell to Van Buren on Tuesday at the RHS Cyclone tennis courts. The Lady Cyclones doubles team of Paige Havner and Shelby Scott were the only varsity winners in Tuesday’s nonconference match. Havner and Scott topped Betsy Corona and Lauren Cervantes 8-6. “This was the first time they played together, and I’m very proud of them,” Russellville head coach Bill Rowlett said. RHS’ Peyton Golde...

Man catches 51-pound catfishTHE COURIER / Travis Simpson Hubert Lackey hefts a 51-pound catfish he caught on the Arkansas River below the Lock and Dam on Tuesday. Lackey appeared in the Aug. 12 edition of The Courier with a five-fish haul of 28, 27, 26, 24 and one unweighed fish.

Dardanelle basketball boosters to host 5kDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle Sand Lizards Basketball Boosters are conducting the Sand Lizard Glow Run-Walk 5k on Friday at Merritt Park to help raise money for the basketball program. Money raised through the 5k helps meet the various needs of players in the basketball program, including meals during away games. A glow run is an evening run wherein runners adorn themselves with glow-in-the-dark clothing and incandescent bracelets, costumes or h...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Bowfishing contest draws complaintsIOWA CITY, Iowa — The teams of fishermen arrived with a seemingly unusual array of equipment — loud airboats, powerful searchlights and scores of bows and arrows. Since their tournament on the Mississippi River ended last month, it’s drawn enough complaints that regulators are considering tighter restrictions on the fast-growing but little-known sport of bowfishing, in which anglers shoot fish with arrows attached to fishing line. The competit...

Enos making smooth transition as coordinator at Arkansas FAYETTEVILLE — Just because Dan Enos isn't a head coach anymore doesn't mean has hasn't brought big-picture thinking to his new job as Arkansas' offensive coordinator. It's an approach, one focused on attention to detail, that Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema has appreciated during Enos' early tenure in Fayetteville. Enos was hired at Arkansas in January, leaving behind his job as head coach at Central Michigan after five seasons. The move was a ...

Hazelhurst joins Golden Suns softball staffTom Hazelhurst, who brings with him experience from a pair of Division I programs, was named assistant softball coach at Arkansas Tech, Golden Suns coach Kristina McSweeney announced Friday. Hazelhurst’s most recent stop was as a volunteer assistant at the University of Georgia, where he helped the Bulldogs to a 44-17 record in 2015. The squad captured a regional championship and set program records in batting average, runs and on-base percent...

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ATU Athletic CommunicationsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Cyclone Extravaganza a successRussellville athletic director Johnny Johnson said the Cyclone Extravaganza on Saturday at Cyclone Stadium was one of those rare moments in life that “goes off without a hitch.” “Everybody was extremely happy with the turnout,” Johnson said. “The weather couldn’t have been better, and we were able to recognize almost every program and every kid from seventh grade through 12th grade.” The extravaganza, which began at 2 p.m. inside Cyclone Gymna...

Student raises money for PHS tennis courtsPOTTSVILLE — Lady Apaches junior tennis player Celeste Parker found out there’s some truth to the film, “Field of Dreams.” Last year, Pottsville didn’t have a tennis court. This year, they do. Subsequently, participation in tennis jumped from 14 to over 30. A trip past the newly installed courts near the Apaches Indoor Athletic Facility reveals four courts, filled with student athletes. “If you build it, they will come.” The $430,000 cost of t...

Fishing tournament to benefit Sonny SmithCLARKSVILLE — Cpl. Todd Russell of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department spoke with Reserve Deputy Sonny Smith four hours before Smith was fatally shot on May 15 while responding to a reported burglary at approximately 2:30 a.m. The two were planning the second annual Johnson County Fishing Tournament to benefit the Auxiliary Officer program, of which Smith was a member, and the Johnson County K-9 unit. After Smith’s death, the tournament wa...

F Jacorey Williams won't return to Arkansas after arrest FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas coach Mike Anderson says forward Jacorey Williams will not return to the program following his arrest last month for allegedly using counterfeit money at three locations near campus. Williams, a three-year letterman who averaged 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game last season, was one of three Razorbacks arrested in connection with a two-month investigation into counterfeit money. All-Southeastern Conference...

Arkansas counting on receiver improvement this season FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Even Dan Enos had concerns about Arkansas' wide receivers during the spring. After an offseason of work, the Razorbacks' first-year offensive coordinator now believes the much-maligned group is ready to serve as playmakers for an offense desperately in need of just that — especially following the likely season-ending injury to running back Jonathan Williams. The Razorbacks reached their first bowl game in three season...

Red-White game answers questionsDARDANELLE — The Sand Lizards escaped from their Red-White scrimmage on Tuesday at Keenan Field without injury, which is the main thing Dardanelle head coach Josh Price was hoping for. “We split them into even teams, and we did a set number of plays,” Price said. “We played two 20-minute quarters, and we got out of there healthy. That was the main thing.” Price said the coaching staff had several questions answered, but also several questions ...

Russellville tennis splits contest with PottsvilleThe Russellville Cyclones and Lady Cyclones tennis team opened their season against the Pottsville Apaches and Lady Apaches on Tuesday at the Russellville High School (RHS) tennis courts. Russellville split matches 5-10 with Pottsville. “A split with a great team like Russellville, while we were missing our top two players to injury, was a challenge for our kids,” Apaches and Lady Apaches head coach Keri McAlister said. “This was a great opene...

Golden Suns cross country picked 7th082015_RC_ATU cross country_page 1B Just over two weeks from its first competition of the 2015 season, the Arkansas Tech women’s cross country team was selected seventh in the Great American Conference preseason poll. The Golden Suns earned 47 points in the survey of the league’s head coaches, falling in just behind the likes of Southeastern Oklahoma (54) and Southern Nazarene (58). Harding was predicted to defend its conference crown, garneri...

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ATU Athletic CommunicationsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Community photo: 4-H shooting sportsAndrew Ward (from left), Ashlyn Ward, Josie Smith, Samantha Moorhouse and Alexander Beck of Pope County 4-H Shooting Sports show off some of their new equipment that they received from National Rifle Association (NRA) grant funds. The NRA Foundation provides financial support to eligible projects, programs and organizations each year. The Arkansas 4-H Shooting Sports Program is an educational activity of Arkansas 4-H, designed to enhance self-...

River Hawks prepare for 2nd seasonThe Russellville Community Christian School (RCC) River Hawks volleyball team will play its first game of the season on Aug. 25 against Christian Ministries Academy at the school. River Hawks head coach Brooks Russell said the team has spent the last two weeks and an offseason before school let out last year preparing for the school’s second year in history to have a volleyball program. “We have a lot of girls that are excited about volleyball...